High-Stakes Battle: Patel vs. Shah in Gandhinagar

In the political arena of Ahmedabad, a significant move has been made by the Congress party as they nominate Sonal Patel to contend for the prestigious Gandhinagar seat, setting up a formidable clash with the incumbent Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who secures his ticket for a second term under the BJP banner in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Sonal Patel, currently serving as the Congress co-incharge of Maharashtra and formerly the president of Gujarat Mahila Congress, steps into the electoral battleground. The Gandhinagar constituency witnessed a previous attempt by Congress in 2019 with CJ Chavda, who faced defeat against Shah by a narrow margin of 5.57 votes. Chavda later secured victory from the Vijaypur seat in the 2022 Assembly elections but resigned from the Gujarat Assembly in January.

Gandhinagar, renowned as a BJP stronghold for over three decades, boasts a legacy of sending notable figures to the Parliament. Shah’s triumph in the last elections stands as a monumental feat in electoral history, solidifying his grip on the constituency.

This parliamentary seat, representing Gujarat’s capital, Gandhinagar, holds immense significance in Indian politics since its inception in 1967. Encompassing areas like Gandhinagar North, Kalol, Sanand, Ghatlodiya, Vejalpur, Naranpura, and Sabarmati, it has witnessed a series of distinguished MPs over the years, including luminaries like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani, and Shankersinh Vaghela. Shah has been the incumbent since 2019.

While Congress is yet to unveil its nominees for seven other constituencies in Gujarat, including Surendranagar, Mehsana, Junagadh, Rajkot, Vadodara, Navsari, and Ahmedabad East, it earlier announced candidates for seven seats on March 12.

However, a recent development sees Rohan Gupta, originally slated for the Ahmedabad East seat, withdrawing from the electoral race citing his father’s ailing health, leaving the field open for further political maneuvering.